Thoddoo, Maldives

Our IWRM demonstration project in the Maldives is located on the largely agricultural island of Thoddoo. Thoddoo is one of the islands across Maldives where groundwater is heavily tapped for growing crops (75% of the land), significantly affecting the groundwater aquifer by elevating salinity due to saltwater intrusion as a result of point extraction. This is compounded the high agro induced land-based pollution due to heavy use of fertilizers/pesticides without proper management practices. The project seeks to demonstrate protection of the freshwater lens of Thoddoo Island from salinization and agro-chemical pollution, with improved drought season aquifer yields.